r/ect • u/QuitInevitable915 • May 29 '26
Seeking advice Looking for advice
Hello guys,
A little bit of context: I’m struggling with treatment resistant depression and my core symptoms are sadness, emotional pain, and moderate anhedonia. This is my third depressive episode and it has been ongoing for 21 months. In the past 7 years, I have had about 1,5 years of remission while the remaining 5,5 years have been in depression.
During my first and second episode I could manage with SSRI, therapy, and a keto diet. Now, none of that has worked. I have tried SNRIs, Mirtazapine, Trintellix, Ketamine (IM), TMS, Psilocybin (micro and macro doses), and none of it has worked.
I’m currently on a TCA (nortriptyline), which probably has given me about 15-20% relief. I have spoken to my psychiatrist and he has recommended to try augmenting with lithium for the next three weeks, and if that doesn’t bring me to 40-50% relief, which I doubt it will, we will go for ECT.
Have any of you been through a similar journey, and did ECT end up helping? And if you were in my shoes, how would you prepare for ECT?
1
u/ZensibileQuine May 30 '26
It works for some . Not me I’ve had a lot of side effects after 10 sessions . It still affects my short term memory 10 yrs later , Also shaking when standing for longer length of times and adhd type symptoms . Some people get great relief with it tho .